Enduring the Stone Barrage
Joseph, a member of the Terraforming rebels, was still feeling pretty relaxed. He figured subduing the trainee in front of him with violence wouldn't be all that hard. Plus, the trainee couldn't even move. Perfect target practice for stone-throwing.
Whoosh!Thwack!
"…"
Of course, he had to control his strength.
He's bare-skinned, no armor… If I mess up and split his flesh open, there's no fixing that.
Excessive bleeding could kill him, and that would be a problem. The standing rule in the Resistance was clear: don't kill anyone who wasn't a threat to your comrades—a full-fledged Combatant. Joseph thought it was an outdated relic, but deep down, he believed it had to be followed. Without rules… what separated them from mere bandits? What made their revolution mean anything?
Whoosh!Thwack!
"…"
From Joseph's perspective, it'd be better if they were wearing armor. Then he wouldn't have to hold back for fear of bursting skin—he could just smash the joints the armor didn't cover and shatter bones. Way easier to take them down.
Damn dogs… Why carry spears but skip the armor?
As far as Joseph knew, the armory had weapons and leather armor side by side. A few months back, he'd raided a training camp in another district to resupply the rebels. No way he didn't know.
Whoosh!Thwack!
"…"
If all fifty or so had spears, that meant they'd raided the armory. Were these chicks too green to think about armor? What a convenient coincidence, Joseph mused.
It was actually Park Chanyoung's ploy—anticipating a stone barrage the moment he recalled the spear wall formation—but Joseph had no clue. How could he guess there was someone among the trainees who knew the future, exploiting the rebels' rules against killing them by deliberately skipping armor?
Whoosh!Thwack!
"…"
The force behind each stone was brutal. But… unlike the first few hits, the trainee wasn't even grunting anymore.
For some reason, that pissed Joseph off. His grip tightened.
Whoooosh!
Shit! Too much power…!
CRACK!!
"!..."
The impact shook the trainee way harder than before. Yet he endured. Not even a twitch in his expression.
"…"
His shoulder throbbed, arm trembling around the spear—but the tip still pointed straight at Joseph. His thigh, clustered with stones to throw off balance, held firm. Eyes that should've winced in agony glared wide, tracking Joseph's every move.
Like he'd react faster than anyone if Joseph so much as twitched.
This… psycho…
Chills crawled over Joseph's skin. If he were in that spot, taking those stones… could he stay silent after that last one?
Joseph grew frantic. Instinct screamed this guy wasn't some rookie chick. Plenty of time left? Felt like he couldn't break them now.
His hand, once leisurely picking smooth stones, now frantically scraped the dirt. He scooped up every jagged rock nearby, stuffing his arms full.
Have to… take him down.
Reason whispered otherwise: skip this guy, target the others. But Joseph couldn't. He'd just been intimidated—by a greenhorn not even a week in this hellhole. Him, who prided himself on fiercer revolutionary fire than anyone.
He couldn't accept it. Stubborn pride took hold.
I've got the strongest convictions of all!
Stones flew from his hand. Relentlessly.
Whoosh!Thwack!
"…"
Ten times.
Whoooosh!CRACK!!
"…"
Twenty.
Whoooosh!CRACK!!
"…"
Twenty-five.
"Iik!!…"
He didn't fall. Leaning on the short, fat guy beside him for half his support, sure—but still standing.
Fine then…
He reached for a baby-head-sized rock he'd skipped before, too big—
"Joseph. Fall back."
Thud.
Marston, who'd just been watching, finally spoke. Kicking the rock away just as Joseph's fingers brushed it.
"What? What the hell…"
Bullshit, Joseph started to snap—
But a shrill whistle cut him off.
—Whiiiiiistle!—
Joseph knew that signal. Gerard's order to retreat.
"Mission failed. But… we saw something good, so no complaints. Fall back."
"Marston! You bastard! Watching like a coward! Shut up. Give me a little more time, and I'll—"
Slap!
The stinging pain on his cheek cooled Joseph's boiling head. No anger. Gratitude, even. Marston had stopped him from breaking the rules—turning into just another bandit.
Joseph spoke.
"…Fall back."
"Good call."
Thud!
Marston took off first. Joseph followed, then paused, glancing back.
"…"
"…"
Eyes met.
"Joseph. Joseph Diskin."
"…Lee Kangin."
"Lee Kangin… Got it. Next time, hope you're a Combatant."
So the rules won't hold me back. Joseph swallowed the rest and bolted after Marston.
Thud!
*
Thud…
"Huff… huff…"
"You reckless idiot…"
Damn moron…
The second they vanished from sight, Lee Kangin dropped to his knees.
Good, not passed out.
"…Told you to tag-team me midway."
"Huff… Now… huff… you're dropping… huff… the formalities?… Urk…"
Barely any strength left, but he forced a grin back at me.
I don't praise guys lightly.
…But damn if I don't have to admit, he's good.
That's as far as I'll go.
Simple reason I was pissed: around fifteen stones in, I figured his limit and tried pulling aggro. But he blocked me with his body.
To outsiders, it looked like "me supporting wobbly-legged Kangin." Truth? "Kangin blocking me from stepping up."
Sigh… Tried lending a hand 'cause his shaky stand was pitiful, and he refuses. What a loss.
Makes exploiting him feel guilty. Not that I won't—plenty more ahead.
"Bones okay?"
"…Urk. Left thigh feels off…"
If even he's whining, at least cracked. Can't walk.
I grabbed spare jackets from clothed trainees, lashed two spears with them into a makeshift stretcher.
"Blanc? Help out?"
"Huh? Sure!"
Blanc hustled over. We prepped to load Lee Kangin.
"Hey. Gonna lift you. Grit through the pain?"
"Pfft… Suddenly all casual, huh…"
"One. Two."
"…Grrraaah?!"
Shhhff!
Just hauling him up, but with bruises everywhere, it wrecked him. That Resilient trait? Not all upside. His mind held, but body damage stacked honestly.
First, cart him to a bunk inside the training camp. I'm shorter than Blanc, so my side needed extra lift for balance. No issue. My strength's in that fuzzy human-superhuman zone now.
…The women volunteered to nurse him.
Zero chance of that normally, but if raiders returned, someone had to guard a downed Kangin. I greenlit the girls staying—ignoring their combat chops. Mess with "Kangin's protectors," and I'd be public enemy to every female trainee after.
"Chanyoung? What now?"
"…Check on the instructors."
Honestly, uneasy. Those two failed kidnappers rejoined their boss. Trouble.
If they ambushed, and instructors died? In canon, the successful kidnappers don't regroup—they signal success and split solo.
Not sure I could help, but… wanted to confirm with my own eyes. Chris and Brack were key side characters.
*
Luckily, needless worry.
Boss and raiders gone. Probably fled over fighting Chris and Brack.
Both intact. Dozens of shallow cuts, exhausted… but no missing parts? Fine.
Mana Awakeners regenerate better; those'll heal quick.
Chris peeled sweat-matted hair from her face, addressing me.
"Huff… huff… Park Chanyoung? Other trainees? No way!..."
"All safe. Two raiders—Joseph and Marston—came our way, but no missing or dead. Injuries, yeah."
"What?… So those two showed empty-handed? How…? Wait, injuries! How many? How bad?"
Chris's face hardened, grilling me. What? She seems genuinely worried about us. Her usual "can't eat you fast enough" vibe aside… she values lives?
"One serious. Probably cracked or broken bone—unsure. Resting inside now."
"Damn… Could leave aftereffects… …But ending there? Miracle, honestly."
"…Might not be luck. Park Chanyoung. Good call leaving the trainees with you?"
Brack asked. Your merit saved them?
Could play humble. Nah—owned it.
"Hate to brag, but yeah, my calls kept everyone alive. Kangin helped too."
"…What?"
Chris gawked, baffled.
What? Facts only.
"Kahaha! Knew it! My eye's spot-on! Details later!"
"Hold up, Brack—you buying that? Seriously?"
"Yup!"
Hm? Chris's reaction off from my read. Figured her type prefers bold results over false modesty for favor.
Brack laughed hearty, as expected. Chris lukewarm—kinda deflating.
Eh… whatever.
Too much affinity with her's risky anyway. I know canon.